Epiphany
by redcandle
Summary: Vicky the vampire hunter from The Chosen realizes that she too is a monster.


"Epiphany" by Redcandle17 

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Night World series belong to L.J. Smith. No copyright infringement is intended.

The vampire tried to sit up. Vicky's boot on his chest quickly pushed him back down. She kicked him under his chin, a hard kick. The blow would have knocked the average human being unconscious. The vampire only winced in pain for a couple of seconds.

"Steve! Hurry up," Vicky shouted to her fellow vampire hunter.

Steve came running with the wooden stocks. The stocks were her invention, handcuffs for vampires. Vicky wordlessly took the stocks from Steve and knelt next to the vampire. She quickly snapped them on his wrists and ankles. She stood and kicked him in his ribs. "Now the fun starts, leech."

"Check out the park. Patrol around a few times. I'm not certain the new guy can handle anything on his own," she said to Steve.

Steve nodded and took off.

Vicky scowled as she remembered the last time she'd worked with a vampire hunter she didn't know. That girl, who'd claimed to be the Cat, had turned out to be in league with the Night World. She probably hadn't been the Cat. There was no way a legendary vampire hunter would become a traitor to humanity.

She turned her attention back to the vampire laying at her feet. He looked like a particularly handsome college boy. He might even be a college student. But he was also a monster. A parasite. Sub-human. She knelt beside him once more and tore open his polo shirt. He was pale-skinned. She liked that, the wounds showed up so much more clearly on the pale ones. She reached for the small box of toothpicks in her pocket.

"Vermin!" he hissed when he saw the toothpicks. His eyes revealed his fear though. They were brown, but they had a light that no human eyes had ever had. They were beautiful, even showing terror. Maybe she'd poke them out later. For now, she savored the feeling of making a predator her prey.

She kept her gaze locked with his as she slowly stuck one toothpick into his abdomen, careful to avoid any major organs. The tiny stick of wood sank in effortlessly, the way a metal pin would enter human skin. The vampire screamed. Good thing they were in a park. There was unlikely to be anyone else to hear his screams this late at night - anyone who did hear it now would be the sort of person to mind his or her own business.

"Strange, isn't it?" Vicky mused. "That wood can be so dangerous, so painful to your kind. I have a theory. Do you want to hear it?"

The vampire didn't answer her.

"You're not deaf yet," she said, tracing his earlobe with a toothpick. "Answer me now."

"Yes," the vampire spat, glaring at her hatefully.

"You see, vampires are unnatural. Wood and trees are the most natural things in the world. It makes perfect sense that wood can kill you creatures." With these words, she pinched one of his nipples between her fingernails and shoved a toothpick through it. The resulting scream hurt her ears.

She waited until the screams had faded into muffled sobs before she continued. "Don't look at me like I'm the bad guy here," she said. "You and your fellow vampires hurt my people every day, every night when you feed. This is your just desserts."

"Sadistic bitch," the vampire snarled weakly, "You'll get yours. Vampire hunters never last long."

"Oh," Vicky frowned, "I don't know your name."

"Stone Mandril," he said, managing to sneer despite his pain. "My mother is a Redfern. The Council will kill you slowly and painfully for this, vermin."

Vicky laughed. "Oh, I've managed to get vampire royalty, have I? Let me tell you a secret. I've been exterminating your kind for three years now."

"My grandfather," he started to say.

Vicky backhanded him, suddenly tired of banter. She straddled him and drew the silver-coated knife she kept strapped to her left boot. She plunged the knife hilt-deep into his chest, twisted it a little, and withdrew it. She watched, fascinated as the wound began healing instantly. She didn't even hear the vampire's wordless cry. She wiped the blade clean on his shirt and put it back in it's sheath. Picking up a toothpick, she began to trace abstract patterns into his skin. Lines of blood welled up. These small wounds didn't heal.

She had an impulse to lick the blood away, to taste it. It was so bright, so red. She'd never have done it if there had been other humans around. However, she was alone, so she gave in to the impulse. It tasted good, almost sweet. It tasted nothing like the way her own blood had tasted when she'd accidentally bit her tongue once. She kept licking the vampire's skin until all the blood was gone. She sucked at his wounded nipple, careful to avoid the toothpick still embedded there.

Stalking and killing, and especially torturing, Night People always gave her a thrill. Torturing attractive male vampires excited her. But Vicky had never felt as aroused during a torture session as she felt now. She was rubbing herself against the vampire's groin. She didn't realize it until she felt him harden. Swearing, she stood abruptly.

"Don't try your sick mind tricks on me, leech," she said, kicking him repeatedly. She knew he hadn't tried to use telepathy on her since before Steve left. She was immune to it and she could feel when it was being used on her. But she was embarrassed enough to accuse him. She didn't want even him knowing how she'd felt just a few seconds ago.

He was looking at her knowingly, trying to smirk through the pain. "I can make you one of us," he offered.

Snarling, Vicky drew the wooden knife from her right boot and shoved it under his ribs, up into his heart. His corpse did not mummify as he died. He was only as old as he'd looked. Vicky started cleaning up. She put all the weapons back in the bags, and unlocked the stocks from the vampire's corpse. There was no use wasting perfectly good handcuffs. Then she sat and waited for Steve and Ricardo to return.

She felt sick. _I'm not one of the good guys. I'm a monster, just like them._

Rashel had refused to torture that one vampire a few months back, and Vicky had accused her of being a traitor for it. What was wrong with making them hurt a little? She hadn't realized until now that inflicting unnescessary pain - and enjoying it - made her a monster too.

"Done so soon?" Steve asked. "Tired?"

Vicky had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed his return. That was careless. A vampire hunter couldn't afford to be careless. "Yeah," she said. "It's been a rough day." There was still work to be done, the body had to be disposed of. "Help me get it to the car."

She'd go home and get some sleep before she headed to class. She'd feel better tomorrow. It was only tiredness that made her think such silly thoughts.

End


End file.
